The present invention relates to a store-level marketing system for dispensing printed offers and product/store information to consumers and to an improved printer having particular utility in said store-level marketing system.
Systems for dispensing offers to consumers are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,791 to Smith illustrates one such system. The Smith system displays a number of images, each image representing a product to be promoted. The system also includes a product selection area to be manipulated by a consumer to select that product. A switch is associated with each selection area to register the selection. The system receives an access code unique to the consumer, records product selections made by the consumer, compares the product selected by the consumer with a preselected quota, and issues a coupon for the product selected by the consumer if the quota for that consumer is not exceeded. One of the disadvantages to the Smith system is that it does not allow a retailer to customize the coupons available to an individual consumer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,346 to Girouard et al. relates to a mall promotion network apparatus and method. The apparatus is a computer system for automating advertising and promotional campaigns. The computer system includes a magnetic stripe card reader, bar code reader, monitor, printer, keyboard, and touchscreen input device. Software executing on the computer manages the operations of the devices. The system displays advertisement and product or store locator maps, dispenses coupons, accepts products orders, and manages customer surveys. The system is very complex and does not allow a retailer to customize the coupons to be offered to each individual consumer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,139 to Halliburton, Jr. illustrates a redeemable coupon disbursement control and reporting system for automated teller machines. The system includes either a bar code scanner attachment used with preprinted continuous roll or single sheet automated teller machine. In either form, first recording means are communicably attached to the disbursing or printing means and remote optical scanning means are employed at the point of coupon redemption, such scanning means being attached to either such first or a second recording means reconcilable with information recorded on such first recording means. This system also suffers from the deficiency that it does not allow the coupons to be dispensed to a consumer to be customized for the consumer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,848 to Stoken relates to a machine for dispensing a plurality of coupons. The machine includes a cabinet and a display area on the cabinet indicating the different bargains capable of being acquired by redemption of the respective coupons and a specific amount of money required to obtain each respective coupon. Selection buttons mounted on the cabinet are used to select a desired one of the different bargains and the respective coupon therefor. A coin slot and collection box in the cabinet are used to receive various amounts of money. The coupons are stored in the cabinet and are aligned with a coupon dispenser which is capable of dispensing each coupon to the exterior of the cabinet through a slot. Control circuitry is provided to insure that money is deposited into the collection box before the coupon is dispensed. This system also suffers from the deficiency that it does not allow the retailer to customize the coupons to be offered to an individual consumer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,224 to Spector relates to a computer controlled system including a printer dispenser for merchandise coupons. The system includes a coupon printer-dispenser installed at a supermarket which makes it possible for a shopper to receive a merchandising coupon entitling him/her to a specified discount on the product identified on the coupon. The printer, which is computer controlled, is linked to at least one manufacturer whose product is available in the supermarket. The manufacturer instructs the printer as to the data to be printed. The printer, when actuated by the shopper, prints on a universal coupon blank the identity of the manufacturer's product and the discount to which the holder is entitled as then determined by the manufacturer, the printed coupon then being dispensed. When the shopper purchases this product and redeems the coupon at a checkout counter at the supermarket, he is accorded the specified discount. Checkout counters at the supermarkets having coupon dispenser installations are linked to each manufacturer, thereby completing the loop, the manufacturer being provided with a readout of discount coupon transactions so that on the basis of this readout, he can alter the discount amount to be printed on the blank coupon. This system also suffers from the deficiency that a retailer can not customize the coupons offered to the consumer.
In Applicant's opinion, none of these prior art systems allow retailers and product manufacturers the ability to effectively reach consumers in-store. Still further, none of these systems provide the ability to trigger multiple offers from a single scan of a savings sheet controlled by a unique identifier code. Still further, none of these systems address practical issues such as the problem of avoiding curling of the paper on which the consumer offers are printed.